Costa Rica News – Shark Finning is not going to stop in Costa Rica as control mechanisms are being implemented.

Costa Rica has implemented mechanisms for tracing shark fins. Traceability means the ones at the docks are the same as the ones exported. Independent consultants inspected the country’s process.

The ship’s captain registers coordinates of the capture site, temperature, environments, bait type, number and species name of the capture, and even the number of hooks and sets. The certification gained from this process allows one to charge more for the product.

Costa Rica is a leader in this process and it was chosen as the place to study it because of the inclusion of hammerhead sharks in the region and the pilot project. Because species are migratory and inter-country actions are needed.

The Memorandum of Understanding on the Conservation of Migratory Sharks provoked varied responses.

Two reports were made regarding the need to certify legal origin of shark fins. Control must be done well to protect the species all the while allowing trade.

This is more proof that the decree to ban shark finning in Costa Rica was just smoke and mirrors.